D-day for Limerick as board make decision on McCarthy

THE Limerick hurling crisis is expected to come to a conclusion tonight when club delegates discuss the ongoing saga at a county board meeting in Claughaun.

Clubs have been given the opportunity to express their views as the fate of senior hurling team manager Justin McCarthy hangs in the balance.

McCarthy has alienated members of the 2009 Limerick panel after 12 were axed from his plans for next year before nine others walked away in protest.

Following weeks of stalemate, the matter will come to a head tonight, with county board sources indicating McCarthy will be either endorsed for another season or removed from his position.

After clubs air their opinions, it is expected that a vote will be taken on McCarthy’s future and the latest view on the ground in Limerick is that the Cork native will survive.

County board PRO Helen Cross said McCarthy’s position is “the one item on the agenda”, adding: “Everybody will be given an opportunity to voice their opinions. It’s hard to know what they’re thinking. I thought that this would be sorted two weeks ago but it remains the central issue. It remains inconclusive but let’s hope we can put it to bed after this meeting. ”

Two weeks ago McCarthy outlined the entire year to the delegates when, for the first time ever, he addressed a county board meeting. “I have been involved in hurling for over 45 years. I have been involved in five All-Irelands and 17 Munster finals and I have never had to address a county board but I am happy to do so because I believe there is a future for Limerick hurling, ” he said.

Many prominent senior clubs, along with junior and intermediate clubs, have backed McCarthy to stay with one official pointing out that: “we have not won an All-Ireland for almost forty years. We cannot afford to dispense with another manager after just 12 months.”

Meanwhile, Galway hurling fans turned their back on John McIntyre’s first National League campaign with more supporters paying to watch Leitrim footballers in Division Four than the Tribesmen. Figures released this week show that Leitrim — the county with the smallest population in the country — proved more popular in the National League than Galway hurlers. Leitrim managed to attract supporters who paid €31,600 for their Division Four NFL games against Carlow, Antrim, Wicklow and Clare.

Galway hurlers, despite home ties against All-Ireland champions Kilkenny, league champs Tipperary and Justin McCarthy’s Limerick, managed just €27,915 for their three games at Pearse Stadium.

Galway treasurer Bernie O’Connor said that 20% of the gross takings from each game went directly to a fund to be given to the eventual finalists; 10% was retained by the venue; 6% went to the players’ injury fund and 5% for public liability. O’Connor said that with Gardaí and referees also having to be paid, it meant that around 45% of the gross taking for each game was not retained by the host county.

“You have to take into account concession tickets and half-price tickets as well and it all adds up,” said O’Connor, who will be returned unopposed to the position at tonight’s Galway County Board convention.

Delegates at tonight’s convention will be told that Galway footballers, who had home ties against Donegal, Dublin and Mayo, pulled in €54,663, in league receipts.